Video: Little Darth Vader: ‘I was kinda scared’

Closed captioning of: Little Darth Vader: ‘I was kinda scared’

>>>popular
darth vader
ad is resting at home after being released from the hospital following successful open-
heart surgery
. this morning we're hearing from matt page himself. nbc's miguel almaguer has the latest on this. miguel, good morning to you.

>>good morning. little max was born with a
heart defect
. at the age of seven, he's undergone eight surgeries, his latest a complete success for the pint-sized patient who is once again ready to take on the world. as little
darth vader
he used his powers to capture our imagination. but the boy
behind the mask
is using his
real life
story to capture even more hearts.

>>i was kind of scared. but it's all sleep. after that, i don't remember anything in the surgery.

>> reporter: today 7-year-old
max page
is home from the hospital, on his way to a full recovery after open-
heart surgery
.

>>i'm excited about a lot of things, especially having a milkshake.

>> reporter: doctors say the valve in max's
pulmonary artery
was basically nonexistent. in surgery doctors inserted a new
pulmonary valve
helping his heart function more effectively. the operation will give max the energy to once again run and play like a normal 7-year-old. the surgery saved his life.

>>well, i do feel a little pain in my chest but not much.

>> reporter: but didn't change max's spirit.

>>is this working?

>> reporter: max kept a brave face throughout. but for his parents, the moments before surgery were heart wrenching.

>>there's no feeling like when you actually have to hand your child over, and you hope that you'll see them alive again.

>> reporter: a milkshake a day keeps the tears away.

>> reporter: last week max was planning his busy day at home. his dad says surgery won't slow him down.

>>that
little boy
, he's still there. it didn't change him. he's full of life, full of energy, engaging, cares about people.

>> reporter: doctors at children's hospital in
los angeles
say max will be back in
full force
in no time.

>>his job now is to get his strength back up and get his stamina back up. he'll be back in school on schedule.

>> reporter: art conquering his latest battle little
darth vader
is back home but not before channeling his inner yoda.

>>if you use your force and
dream big
, you can achieve anything. we may be small but we're mighty.

>> reporter: he'll spend six weeks at home recovering but as you can see everyone little max vader is recovering.

Max Page, 7, who shot to fame after playing a miniature Darth Vader in a popular Volkswagen Passat 2011 Super Bowl commercial is a step closer to ruling his empire again after undergoing open-heart surgery last week.

He faces six to eight weeks of recovery after the two-hour surgery, which replaced the pulmonary valve in his heart on Thursday as a result of a congenital defect that was diagnosed when he was three months old.

This was Page’s eighth surgery in seven years, and his first open-heart procedure. He suffers from Tetralogy of Fallot, a congenital heart defect that limits oxygen in the blood. He will need an operation again in 10 to 15 years to once again replace his valve.

The limited oxygen in his blood had made the active young boy sluggish, a condition the surgery is expected to correct. Max can now gradually return to his whirlwind life, which includes acting in commercials and recurring roles on “The Young and the Restless’’ and “Prime Suspect.’’ He also is an ambassador to Children’s Hospital, helping to raise money for other kids with heart ailments.

“I'm excited about a lot of things — especially having a milkshake,’’ Max joked. “I do feel a little pain in my chest, but not much.’’

“His job now is to get his strength back up, and get his stamina back up to be back in school in the fall right on schedule,’’ Dr. Michael Silka of Children’s Hospital told NBC News.

By Sunday, he was up and walking around in the intensive-care unit, according to a hospital spokeswoman. He also was on blood pressure medication.

“Max had a great night," his mother, Jennifer Page, told a hospital spokesperson Sunday in a report by People.com. "This morning, he is able to get himself out of bed and walk around a little bit."

On Saturday, he wrote a list of goals like sitting in a chair, eating, and walking, according to People.com.

“There's no feeling like when you actually have to hand your child over and you hope that you'll see them alive again,’’ Jennifer told NBC News.

“I was kind of scared, but after I fell asleep I didn't remember anything in the surgery,’’ Max told NBC News.

Max gained notoriety when he appeared, unmasked, on TODAY in February 2011 after being the star of an ad that went viral on YouTube leading up its Super Bowl debut. In the commercial, Max dresses as a mini Darth Vader and attempts to use the Force around the house to no avail before being surprised that he can start his father’s Volkswagen with the wave of a hand — unaware that Dad, watching through a window, has started the car via remote control.